Eric Abetz (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Minister for Employment) Share this | Hansard source

This is a government which seeks to preserve every possible job and that is why this government reversed the broken promise of the ALP 'no carbon tax'. The ALP made a promise that there would be no carbon tax, a tax which destroyed thousands of jobs throughout the Australian economy and especially in the manufacturing sector. That is why we got rid of that tax—to preserve jobs. Senator Lundy, I can say to you and your colleagues that that is what motivates us as a government, to get the economy back on track. In circumstances at the time the Prime Minister made his statement about the ABC, Mr Bowen said the deficit would be $18 billion. At the end of the year it was $48 billion as the failed finance minister well knows. (Time expired)

Senator Wong interjecting—